Thursday, 16 October 2025

Weekend Quick Cryptic 140 - Solution

Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce our series of Weekend Quick Cryptic crosswords. We take turns, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's Phil's turn. 

You can find a link to the crossword here and the answers below.  Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on  TfTT You can find an index to the complete series of crosswords here. 

Before looking at the answers, if you would like some additional help, click the label below.

Hints and tips...

Here are a few hints and tips.
  • In 13A Alexander is Alexander the Great.
  • The ? in 24A indicates a definition by example.
  • In 4D "Grocer Heath" was a perjorative term used by Private Eye for this famous leader.
  • Allardyce in 6D is a football manager.
  • Arbuckle in 18D was an American silent film actor, director, and screenwriter.
And click on this label to get the solution.


 

Definitions  underlined in bold italics , ( Abc )* indicating anagram of Abc,{deletions} and [] other indicators.

Across
1 Factory dance unlikely to be held here (8)
WORKSHOPWORKS (factory) HOP (dance).
5 Say "greed" for example (2-2)
AS-INA SIN (“greed”, for example).
8 One may rush to catch this final blog entry (4,4)
LAST POSTLAST (final) POST (blog entry).
9 Sultanate in Oklahoma? No! (4)
OMAN – Hidden in OklahOMA No.
11 Person responsible for other woman's naughtily exciting revelations at first (5)
OWNER – Initial letters [at first] of Other Woman’s Naughtily Exciting Revelations.
12 A gentle change is stylish (7)
ELEGANT – (A gentle)* [change].
13 Boost for all-conquering Alexander's father we're told (6)
FILLIP – Sounds like [we’re told] PHILIP, father of Alexander the Great.
15 Return at end of rugby match to find American inventor (6)
EDISON – Reverse, [return], NO SIDE (the end of a rugby match) -> EDISON.
18 Disagree about nuclear aftermath? (7)
FALLOUT – Double definition.
19 Incredibly eager to share an opinion (5)
AGREE – [Incredibly] (eager)*.
21 Toothpaste dispenser underground (4)
TUBE – Double definition.
22 Last five arranged for a celebration (8)
FESTIVAL – (last five)* [arranged].
23 To start with you expected that it's something you would find in the Himalayas (4)
YETI – Initial letters, [to start with] of You Expected That It’s.
24 Race official's prawn cocktails? (8)
STARTERS – Double definition, the second by example, hence the ?
 
Down
1 Rich source of oil no longer available (4-3)
WELL-OFFWELL (source of oil) OFF (no longer available).
2 Sticky substance I heartlessly sneer about (5)
RESIN – (I sn{e}er)* [about], with heartlessly instructing to remove the middle letter of sneer.
3 Line manager's highly rated eye protection (10)
SUPERVISORSUPER (highly rated) VISOR (eye protection).
4 Being ejected, Grocer Heath goes in pursuit of old American (6)
OUSTEDO (old) US (American) TED (Ted Heath, the former UK Prime Minister; He was known as “Grocer Heath”).
6 Maybe Allardyce is critical of Oriental vessels (7)
SAMPANSSAM (Maybe Allardyce, the football manager, most recently of Leeds United in 2023) PANS (is critical of).
7 Musical ensemble - and why they couldn't go fishing? (5)
NONETNO NET (why they couldn’t go fishing).
10 Teacher's steamer had malfunctioned (10)
HEADMASTER - (steamer had)* [malfunctioned].
14 Crazily I'll bite Harry's daughter (7)
LILIBET – [Crazily] (I’ll bite)*.
16 Sewing equipment - almost unnecessary (7)
NEEDLESNEEDLES{s} (unnecessary) losing the last letter, [almost].
17 Swear it's where you could find a cricket fan (6)
ATTESTAT TEST (where you could find a cricket fan)
18 Unhealthy type of diet for Arbuckle (5)
FATTY – Double definition. Fatty Arbuckle was an American silent film actor, director, and screenwriter. He died in June 1933 aged 46.
20 On the radio, give one's opinion of light entertainment (5)
REVUE – Sounds like, [on the radio],  REVIEW  (give one’s opinion of).

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